The Allisons

Our first stop was a Dutch farm. Our table was set with 4 different types of Gouda cheese made there on the farm, meat,hard-boiled egg, toast, juice, and coffee.

Then we saw a wooden shoe making demonstration. In the picture the guy is about to drill the foot hole for the shoe. They are made of Poplar wood. Next, in the cheese room she just told us about the process since we were pressed for time. Not so pressed though, that there was not enough time to pose for a picture in some giant wooden shoes. :)



Then it was off to Keukenhof Gardens to see tons of tulips and other flowers.

There were several folks walking through the gardens in traditional Dutch garb.


The red with yellow around the edges of the petals were my favorite because it looked like there was a candle in them. There wasn't.




There are slightly submerged "steps" in the water. So it looks really cool if you can get it just right--looks like you're walking on the water. Note the swan on the far left. So pretty.


Mike said this kind of tulip was "scary".







After the gardens, we went to Haarlem, Holland. There, we toured the Corrie Ten Boom house. Corrie, her sister Betsy, and their father were Christians who helped Jews and people involved in the Dutch resistance get to safety during WWII. They helped over 800 people. In one bedroom, they put up a wall and a door through the closet to make a small hiding place for people to go in case of a raid. The day they were betrayed, 6 people stayed in that cramped spot for 48 hours until someone came in to tell them it was safe. The Ten Booms however, were taken to jail, where the father (age 84 died). Corrie and Betsy were transferred to Ravensbruck concentration camp. Betsy died, but Corrie was released after many months. The week after she was released, all the females her age were gassed. She went on to write many books including The Hiding Place which was made into a movie. She had a world wide ministry and was able to tell thousands of people her story and of her faith in Jesus that saw her through that dark time.



There was a door in the bottom of closet that they were able to close once they were inside. And the other picture was taken from inside the hiding place.





Here's a video from one spot in the gardens. Photos and videos just don't do it justice. It was so beautiful!